To meet the needs of computer users, portable personal computers (i.e., "laptop" computers) have improved dramatically in their computing ability, while at the same time, being reduced in their overall physical size. Like desktop personal computers, laptops include various system or interface parameter adjustments, such as screen display brightness, screen display contrast, speaker volume and beep volume. Because of the need to maintain the laptop's compact attributes, it is desirable to implement these adjustments with keyboard keystroke combinations, rather than with added, space-consuming switches or adjustable controls. Unfortunately, however, users are not always able to observe the magnitude of the parameter or track its adjustment because of the lack of observable adjustable controls and because space limitations prevent the addition of individual display apparatus for monitoring such parameters. In addition, it is preferable to avoid using the laptop's main screen display for this purpose, in order to preserve CPU resources for more important, primary functions of the computer system.
Some laptop computers do, however, utilize a small LCD status panel that is distinct from the main screen display. These status panels include icons that are dedicated to the display of specific system parameters (e.g., AC active, battery charge level, etc.). It is important to continue displaying the status of certain of these parameters. For example, the battery supply used to power a laptop computer has a finite amount of electrical charge that will be consumed as the computer is being operated. Thus, it is desirable for users to be able conveniently and continuously to monitor battery charge level while operating the laptop, in order to properly pace computer work-time relative to the reoccurring need to "charge" the battery supply.
Unfortunately, not enough space is available on such status panels for the continuing display of all possible system parameters that are of interest to a user. Therefore, laptop systems limit display to "primary parameters", which are those parameters that are deemed worthy enough to be normally displayed on the status panel. However, it would be beneficial also to be able to display "secondary parameters" (i.e., those parameters not receiving sufficient priority for continuing status panel display) at selected times. For example, an interface function such as speaker volume could be considered a secondary parameter. Its relative magnitude is not necessarily of continuing interest to a user once the level has been set. However, most users would wish to have the magnitude level available for display at their selection.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to display to a user the status of a personal computer's secondary parameters without having to add additional status panel space to the computer's visible working surface.